Satisfy You
by toonmili
Summary: Max and Logan are together and Alec is less than happy. Max/ Alec.
1. Default Chapter

STORY: Satisfy You   
DISCLAIMER: Dark Angel is not mine.  
NOTE: I would have to say a very special thanks to SALZSTAR for correcting by spelling, grammar and making some suggestion (all of which I took).  
CHAPTER: Under your skin.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Alec stood from the bar in Crash and looked at the scene. Max was talking to Logan and she was smiling. Her hands were circling the rim of her drink as she stared lustfully into his eyes. Alec was once again forgotten. He felt used, she asked for his help and willing gave it. For the past few days they were getting closer. He thought it was the start of something but now she was back with Logan. He remembered when it started.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
FLASHBACK.   
  
  
  
She came to him in the middle of the night and asked him a favour. He didn't want to do it but she seemed so desperate. " Okay," he said.   
  
" If we're doing this, we have to do the whole thing okay, the holding hands and all the other stuff." She took a deep breath. Her mind played back on the scene that brought her to her desperate state. She didn't even want to picture it anymore. " The whole thing."   
  
He nodded, " Yeah." He sat up and looked at her for a while. She was hurting, he could almost feel it emitting from her body. " Max what happened?"   
  
She turned to him. She saw he had a genuine look of concern in his eyes. " I went to give Logan some of the information I received on the cure. It turns out I was the only one interested in finding it. Alec he was with Asha. I feel like such a fool. I feel so pathetic."   
  
Alec moved closer to her and put his arms around her, he kissed her on her forehead. She eased her body in his arms.   
  
" It's okay Maxie." That was all he could think to say. " You want to stay here tonight? I mean you're really upset you shouldn't be alone right now."   
  
She nodded. He moved over and made room for her on the bed. She took off her jacket and rested on the pillow. " You know love really does suck. I thought there would come a time when it wouldn't but it always does."   
  
He smiled, he thought the same thing but she didn't need to hear that. " You should sleep."   
  
" I don't need sleep."   
  
" I know but sleeping helps to calm the mind."   
  
" Really?"   
  
" I don't know. I just made that up."   
  
She laughed lightly, with a tinge of sadness to her voice. " Alec."   
  
" Max."   
  
" Thanks," she whispered. It was so ironic that she would end up turning to him. Who would have thought that Logan would be the bad guy and Alec would be the one she needed.   
  
" For what?"   
  
" Everything."   
  
" No problem."   
  
END FLASHBACK   
He stood there not being able to comprehend why she'd be back with Logan. He knew she had gotten some information on the cure but it didn't matter then. He turned around and finished his drink. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the exit.  
  
Max followed Alec outside and met him unchaining his bike. " Leaving already?"   
  
" Don't really see the point in staying."   
  
She leaned against a lamppost. " I just wanted to say thanks for everything."   
  
He started up the engine. " No problem."   
  
Max stood there and looked at him drive away. She wasn't sure what to say to him. She thought that he'd be happy that he didn't have to pretend anymore, she was obviously wrong. She couldn't help but feel guilty. She should have told him before, he didn't have to come and see it for himself. She sighed and went back inside. She'd try to talk to him in the morning.   
  
  
  
  
  
*********************   
  
A few minutes later Alec found himself at the top of the needle. The cold night air hit his face as he gazed on at the dark city. Flashes plagued his mind. He remembered and he wanted so badly to forget it as soon as possible.   
  
FLASHBACK   
  
His lips touched hers and felt his entire body shiver. Slowly he explored her lips not wanting a single piece to go untouched. If only she was feeling the same thing he did. They separated only leaving only finger space between them. He looked into her eyes for a respond, for an approval and she looked away.   
  
She took his hand in hers and shot a quick glance over to Logan. It was quite a show they were putting on. Logan looked like someone had just poured a bucket of ice water on his head. Max looked at Alec and smiled. " Sweet revenge," she whispered in way that looked as sexy as possible to the unknowing audience.   
  
He bit his lips in the same manner. He knew she was using him but he still hoped that she felt something for him.   
  
END FLASHBACK.   
  
Now he knew how stupid he had been. As soon as she was given the opportunity she was back in Logan's arms. He was forgotten and once again at Needle trying to figure out where he went wrong. And the question did linger in his mind. He did everything she asked him and still he wasn't enough. She wanted Logan. Why?   
  
The new question ran through his mind. Why Logan? What did Logan have above him? He knew he could make Max a lot happier than Logan ever could. But that wasn't what Max liked about him. She actually liked the stupid super hero mentality Logan possessed. Alec maybe wasn't as passionate about protecting people as Logan was but if Max asked him to be, he would be.   
  
He closed his eyes at the thought. Why did Max have him wrapped around her finger? Why couldn't he just accept that she didn't have feelings for him and move like what anybody else would have done. He had to be thinking and drowning in self-pity. He couldn't continue to do that. He had to stop or else he'd drive himself crazy.   
  
So right then and there he made a private promise to himself. He promised himself that he would never let Max get under his skin again.  
NOTE: I Hope you guys liked it. I wrote so long ago and I'm finally posted it. 


	2. Chapter2

Inspiration for this chapter: Matchbox Twenty.   
  


CHAPTER: Disease.   
  
  
  
  
Alec took his jacket and headed out the door. It was a new day, the beginning of his resolution. His devotion to Max had come to an end. 

He walked in Jam Pony determine to keep his promise but when he saw her smiling at him like he mattered he slowly began to feel that he would fail his mission. 

His feet moved him forward to his locker. He could tell she was coming to talk to him, if he concentrated hard enough he could feel her light footsteps coming his direction. He reminded himself of the promise he made. 

" Hey," she said with a smile on her face. 

" Hey Max." He turned his body to face hers. 

" I was thinking, maybe you and I could hang out at Crash tonight. You know. . . have beer or whatever." She didn't want him to think that she'd just stop being friends with him because she and Logan had sort out their problems. She wanted to show him that she still wanted to spend time with him. 

He bit his lip trying to give the impression that he was thinking 'bout it. 

" Sorry, I can't. I have some business to take care of." Her smile melted away into a frown of disappointment. He immediately wanted to take it back, to get her to smile again. " But I can just cancel." 

And there it was, the smile he sacrificed his dignity for. And looking at it from where he stood, it was all worth it. 

" Good, tonight then." 

************************************************************************ 

He stood in his apartment, dressed with more care that usual. His mind was trying to decide where he should move to. The choices were the door or the couch. He could stay home and show Max that his life didn't revolve around her. Or he could go and show Max that his life did indeed revolve around her, and then just maybe she would realize that he needed her more than Logan ever could. 

His ideas seemed so silly in his mind, he laughed at himself. He took off his jacket and went to the couch. She would see that his life didn't revolve around her, even though it wasn't true. 

************************************************************************ 

Max looked at her watch for what seemed like the millionth time. Where the hell was he. He said he would come and he wasn't there. She was already on her tenth glass of beer and was sipping it very slowly. 

Why didn't she notice that he wasn't going to come by the time it reached twelve o' clock. But she sat there looking like a fool. The bartender kept giving glances that indicated he thought she was the saddest person alive. 

She slammed down the money in frustration and took up her jacket and headed out the door. He didn't even call to say that he wasn't coming. 

************************************************************************ 

His punctuality the next morning annoyed her. Why did he have to come on time for work? Why didn't he show up last night? He could remember to get up at seven in the morning and come to work for minimum wage but he couldn't remember to call his friend who was waiting for him at a bar. 

She ignored Normal's usual rantings and walked over to Alec. " Last night was a lot of fun." His eyes grew wide like he just discovered he forgot. 

" I'm so sorry. I totally forgot about that." He could see the look of disappointment on her face and he immediately wished he chose the door. 

" Alec, I waited." 

" I'm sorry, I said forgot." 

That was all he had to say. " Okay then, so you forgot." She turned and walked away. He pulled her back. " What?" she asked keeping her voice at an even tone. 

" What about tonight?" 

She shook her head; " I'm meeting Logan tonight." 

" Friday?" 

" Just forget it." She walked away. 

************************************************************************ 

"How guilty can one man feel?" Alec asked himself. He was sitting in Crash trying to get himself drunk so he could get that look of disappointment and hurt Max had on her face out of his head. 

So far his efforts seemed futile. He didn't feel drunk; he only felt like his stomach was going to convert it's liquid from water to scotch. 

" Barkeep," he called. 

" Rough day?" 

" Something like that," Alec replied. 

" You remind of this girl last night, a real pretty girl too, and a regular here actually. She came in about eight in the night and left shortly after twelve. She said she was waiting on someone but I think had some problems she wanted to drink out." 

" Did this girl have long brown hair?" 

" Yeah, do you know her?" 

Alec nodded sadly to himself. He expected that Max waited for half an hour for the most, he never thought she'd wait so long for anyone much less him. " Yeah, I know her. I'm the one she was waiting on." 

The bartender laughed. " You stood up a hot girl like that?" 

" Temporary insanity. I didn't think she'd wait that long. She got too accustomed to me being there." 

From the barkeep's point of view this guy had more issues than the average alcoholic. He seemed extremely confused. He regretted not being there but at the same time he wanted to prove something. " Something tells me she's really angry at you." 

" Yep, but it helps to know that most of the time she is angry at me. It's almost foreign when she's not angry at me for some reason or the other." Alec slapped himself in his mind. Why the hell was he relating his issues to a bar tender? He reminded himself of the pathetic people he'd see on TV, he swore to himself that he'd never get that bad. He just did. Max was affecting him so much and he was apparently affecting her. 

They were like diseases to each other that caused them to do irrational and abnormal things. He maybe needed a cure, something that would help him fight her effects on him. Or maybe just needed to give up the fight and let the diseases dominate his body and his entire being. 

He paid the money to the bartender and took up his jacket and made his way to the exit. He wasn't going to give that bartender anymore of his money. He would figure it out on his own.   
  


NOTE: and so ends another chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. 


	3. chapter3

Chapter: Think about it.   
  
  
  


An entire day had gone by and he didn't see her. He needed to clear his head before he considered himself in a sound enough mind to go out in public. He didn't want to go Crash then run into her in his current state of weakness. So he went to the needle and sat there thinking.   
  


He unwillingly remembered the first time she showed any sort of affection to him without the purpose being to infuriate Logan. It probably was nothing to her but he marked it down on his list of the most significant moments of his short life.   
  


_Flashback_   
  


" I just thought you could use one. . . you know. . .to call. . . whoever."   
  


Max looked at him with an expression of pure shock on her face. She turned on the phone. It was even activated. " Thank you so much." She always wanted a cell phone but she never could bring herself to buy one.   
  


His heart stopped as she moved closer to him. Everything moved in slow motion like time knew he wanted to savor the moment. Gracefully she delivered her kiss and he felt himself go weak in the knees. And as soon as it was over, everything started to move faster. His heart began beat triple times it's speed. He hoped to God that she couldn't hear it going wild.   
  


Knowing that he had to say something, he mouthed the only think he could think of at that moment, " Welcome."   
  


She smiled at him for a while, and then walked away still looking at the phone.   
  


_End Flashback. _   
  
  
  


He smiled at himself. " That was so. . . God. . . I don't know. . . Good."   
  


" Talking to your self Alec? Finally lost it huh."   
  


His eyes grew wide. He didn't hear her coming because he was so engrossed in his memories. Now she caught him talking to himself.   
  


While he worked out excuses in his head she came and sat next to him and looked on at him, battling the embarrassment out of his mind. " What was good?"   
  


" I was thinking about a movie I saw." He lied quickly. Knowing that she would ask more questions and she'd figure out he was lying he changed the topic. "I thought you were mad at me."   
  


" I am . . . Well not really . . . actually yeah I am mad at you . . . but not really really mad."   
  


He smiled at her indecisiveness. " Which is it?"   
  


" Both." She knew that she should forgive him since he said he was sorry and all but she would have liked him to put more of an effort in quest for forgiveness.   
  


" How come you're not with Logan?" He had to ask, he always had to. He wanted to believe he still had a chance, a ghost of chance.   
  


She raised her shoulders. " I don't know. I just wanted to clear my head."   
  


Was he sensing a hurricane on the little paradise Max had created in her mind? Was she having problems with Logan already? " What is there in your head that needs to be cleared out?"   
  


She didn't want to say it but felt she had to let him know that it bothered her, because he seemed to be completely oblivious of the fact. " I felt. . . stupid when you didn't show up. . . really stupid, cause I waited for a good while. Then you just said that you forgot like it was no big deal. It was a big deal to me, I felt insignificant and I don't like feeling that way." He looked down at his hands trying to avoid her eyes. " You of all people should know that."   
  


He knew he had to be careful with his words. He wanted her to know that he cared but not to an abnormal extend. " If it helps any, I'll tell you now, that I did feel really bad about it and I still do. I just didn't know what else to say. I mean you looked like I took the frosting off your cereal."   
  


" You could have said what was on your mind."   
  


" It's not always easy to blurt out what your thinking. Sometimes you have to watch your words."   
  


" So you chose to make me feel stupid."   
  


How did she think he felt when she had just gone back with Logan and he was thrown to the waste side like an old appliance that was no longer useful? He felt stupid too. So it was like and eye for an eye. " I didn't know what you wanted me to say. I said I was sorry."   
  


" I wanted you to be there," she blurted out. She caught herself by surprise and she could see that he too was taken aback.   
  


" You can't expect me to be there all the time. I mean. . . you have Logan now and I have…I have other things to do with my time."   
  


She didn't think that it was possible until now. He was lying, He didn't forget. He didn't come on purpose. " Where were you anyway?"   
  


"Um… meeting . . . a friend of mine."   
  


" Really, which one?"   
  


" Just someone who was in my unit. David, he calls himself now."   
  


" Just shut up okay," She stood up. " If you didn't want to come all you had to do was say so. I sat on my ass waiting for hours and you were somewhere else getting a kick out of it."   
  


He stood up to meet her face to face. " I was home, and I wasn't getting a kick out of it. In fact I downed two bottles that night." Her expression softened. " I really wasn't expecting you to wait that long."   
  


" If you wanted to come, why couldn't you just come? You don't have to sit down and think about things all the time. Friendship comes naturally, you can't plot your moves like you're on some kind of mission."   
  


" I'm sorry okay. Can we just drop this?" He didn't want to get too much into the argument in case he said something he didn't want to say.   
  


She started to walk away, and then she turned back. " I guess it would be too much to ask to get a phone call from you." She dropped him a hint. She hoped he picked up on it.   
  


Alec sat back down. He had a whole other batch of thoughts to sort now.   
  
  
  



	4. Chapter4

CHAPTER: I'm coming out!!!!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Max went to her bedroom and took up a book. She planned on lying there until Alec called her. The very night Alec gave her the cell phone he called her. They just talked and talked. She couldn't remember what exactly they talked about but she knew they talked until it was time to get ready for work. She remembered when she asked him about how he planed to pay the phone bill he'd have because of their long conversation. He replied with no attention paid to his genius, that he somehow got his phone to check an hour as minute. It never had the right time on the phone but ' That's why you have a watch.'   
  


That was a new thing they started, they would just call each other and talk. When they couldn't thing of anything else to say they'd wait until something came to mind and something usually did. She began to feel like she could tell him anything and he would do the same. However she knew some topics were restricted (Rachael and Logan). They only talked about things that didn't cause them any pain. She hoped one day that they would be able to talk about the undesirable but at the rate things were going with their friendship she truly doubted it.   
  


Her phone went off and she answered it quickly. " Alec?"   
  


" No, Logan."   
  


" Oh," she said.   
  


That delivered a painful blow. She wanted to talk to Alec and she sounded less than excited to talk to him. He couldn't help but think that she had developed feelings for him during their three-week game of charades. " I just wanted to see how you were doing."   
  


" I'm fine." She said. She didn't intend to give short answers but she had feeling like Alec was calling her and he couldn't get trough. She wanted Logan off the phone.   
  


" Okay, so I guess you're waiting for a call from Alec?"   
  


" Yeah, he said he'd call."   
  


His suspicion kept growing as the seconds went by. The only thing that was leading him to believe otherwise was the fact that she was dating him. " So I'll let you get back to what you were doing."   
  


" Okay, bye." She waited for him to hang up the phone and then she looked to see if she had any calls. She had none. She looked at the watch and it was approaching eleven o'clock. She wasn't about to wait for hours again so she dialed his number. He answered after five rings. " Why did you take so long to answer?" she yelled.   
  


He smiled at the fact she called him instead. " I was in the shower," he said wrapping the towel around the lower part of his anatomy.   
  


" Are you sure you're not lying about that too."   
  


He deserved it, so he took it. " No, I'm serious. As a matter of fact I still have some soap on me. Can I go wash it off?"   
  


" No, leave it," she said laughing. " This is my payback for yesterday." He moaned on the other end. Then she heard some water splashing. " Hey! you're washing it off."   
  


" Yeah, so."   
  


" Remind me to beat you up tomorrow."   
  


" I think trying to put on clothes and a talk on a phone at the same time is punishment enough." He took a while before he was able to speak again. " So what are you doing?"   
  


" I'm talking to you, obviously."   
  


" Yeah, I guess." He waited for her say something then he realized that she wanted him to talk first. " What are we talking about tonight?"   
  


" You decide."   
  


He wanted to tell her something but he planned on doing it some where around three o' clock so he could work up the nerve. " Tell me bout the guys you dated before Logan." He went on his bed and lied down.   
  


Ah yes, something about dating, finally. " Well they were few and far apart. I broke up with most of them because they thought I was too secretive," she laughed. " But I moved on."   
  


" Did you ever have problems moving on?"   
  


" No, that only happened with Logan." His part of the conversation had suddenly become mute.   
  


" What about you? Your pre emancipation days?"   
  


" What about me, I didn't date anyone. How could you when you're in a cell."   
  


He was avoiding Rachael like a bad cold. But something in his voice told her that he wouldn't mind if she inquired further. " Tell me bout her. Tell me why you fell in love with her."   
  


He knew it was coming. He took a deep breath and tried not to get worked up about it. " She was nice, really nice. When she smiled I would forget about everything, about my mission, about Manticore. But what made me fall in love with her is the fact that some one so sweet and pure had feelings for me, loved me, I never had that before. I mean, I was just someone without a name, with out a parent, I was nothing and she still took me into her heart and it felt amazing." He heard Max sniffle on the other end. That was the last thing he wanted. He hated when people felt sorry for him. " Max can you stop that."   
  


Knowing that he was referring to the tears she said, "Okay." There was an odd moment of silence. She decided to ask another question, she had to let him release it slowly, too much at once would be overwhelming. " What about After?"   
  


It was something he was more comfortable talking about. " No one really mattered. Like I told you once before: I only fall for the ones I can't have."   
  


" Who did you fall for that you couldn't have? As far as I can see there's always a beeline of girls falling at your feet."   
  


The opportunity presented it self and he decided to go for it. He closed his eyes to help him calm his nerves as he said it. " You." Silence flooded the other side of the line.   
  


NOTE: Nice place to end the chapter huh? 


	5. Chapter

CHAPTER: Scenario   
  
  
  


" Who did you fall for that you couldn't have. As far a I can see there's always a beeline of girls falling at your feet."   
  


The opportunity presented it self and he decided to go for it. He closed his eyes to help him calm his nerves as he said it. " You." Silence flooded the other side of the line.   
  


She must have heard wrong, she could have sworn she heard him say that he fell for her. " What did you say?"   
  


He wanted so badly to take it back. He could save himself. But he knew that of he did it would haunt him for the fest of his life. " I said I fell for you?"   
  


The air drained out of her lungs. She didn't know what to say. Why would he do that? " Alec, I don't know what you mean…"   
  


He whished he could see her face so he could tell what she was thinking. He was going to explain himself with a huge chance of rejection. He had to close his eyes as he said this. " I always had daydream. I would be sitting at home not really doing anything and then I'd hear a knock on the door. I'd go to it. When I answer it you would be standing there. Then you would walk to the couch and we'll sit down for a while. Then you'd move from next to me and sit on the coffee table, directly facing me. Then you'd take my hand in yours." He took a deep breath because he knew that was the hard part to tell. " Then you'd look up at me, and say ' Alec let's give this love thing a try.' And of course I would be really shocked but eventually that would wear off and next I'd say 'yeah, let's do that.' And it would be the most amazing feeling of completion I ever felt, then I'll whisper in a gasp of air, 'I love you Max."   
  


Max felt her heart skip a beat. She didn't know that Alec thought so much. She didn't know that he was in love with her. She suddenly realized that she didn't know much about what he felt at all. She never asked him how he felt about anything until then. " When did you start to think like that?"   
  


Ah. . . yes speech. What he was waiting for. He was still nervous but to a lesser extend. " When Zack came I realized I was jealous and I had to ask myself why."   
  


She didn't think he was jealous at any point. Then again she always had problems seeing things with him. " So that's why you agreed to help me?"   
  


Why couldn't she give him something more? Something that indicated what she was thinking. " I helped you because you looked hurt and I didn't want to see you like that."   


She remembered all the time they spent together, even when Logan wasn't looking. She recalled the various times they kissed to make Logan jealous. " So, you weren't faking huh?"   
  


" No, not really."   
  


Knowing that he would want an answer eventually she decided to say something. " I don't know what to say?"   
  


He didn't want her to feel obligated to return his daring proposal. That was the last thing he wanted. " There's an alternative, do you want to hear it?"   
  


She said a small, " yeah."   
  


" What happens is I tell you how I feel and you don't feel the same way. But the thing is we just act like it never happened and we go back to what we were before the whole thing. And I'll be okay with that."   
  


" It's so different form the first one?" She didn't want to go back to what they were before. They weren't much. Now they had something. But she couldn't ignore the fact that she had something with Logan too. She waited a whole two years to be with Logan, how could she just leave that behind. She loved Alec but she wasn't sure to what extend; if as a friend or something more. Alec was great in his ways, like how he always considered her feelings and how he never made her feel like being any one but herself. She loved spending time with him; they had so much fun together. From their long conversations on the phone to just hanging around watching TV.   
  


" Which scenario do you prefer Max?"   
  


She had reached a point where she didn't know who to choose. Logan, the one she had been waiting for or Alec the one who was waiting for her. " Alec I'm sorry—but I can't."   
  


He knew it was coming. She took to long too answer. He decided long before that he wasn't going to overreact about this. " It's okay."   
  


" You understand, don't you?"   
  


" Yeah, I understand." He was trying his best to sound normal. But he could feel a lump in his throat. He hated when that happened. He wanted to get off the phone quickly before she noticed. " I'll talk to you in the morning."   
  


Max knew that the calm voice he was putting on was not the case at his apartment. She knew it would only hurt more if she just stayed on the line. " Okay, in the morning."   
  


" Bye Max." he hung up the phone and looked at it for a while after. He had an urge to throw it at the wall. He got up from his bed and went to the kitchen.   
  


He needed something to set his mind off it, anything. He found a bottle of scotch and got himself a glass. He didn't even know why he bothered with it. He knew he couldn't get drunk but every time he would just start to drink. Why? What was he doing to himself?   
  


He walked to sink and spat it out. He wanted a different way out. He'd forget about her the long painful way. He took the bottle of scotch and threw it in the bin. He went back to his bedroom and went to his bed. He would cry this one out instead of drinking it out.   



	6. Chapter6

CHAPTER: The Situation.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


He stood outside Jam Pony looking at the people inside. He didn't want to go in, he didn't want to see her just yet but he knew if he didn't go to work she'd know that he was having a hard time dealing with it. So he decided to go in and put on a happy face.   
  


He went to his locker and took out his gloves. He could feel eyes on him as he was doing that. He prepped himself for what was going to be the longest conversation of his life.   
  


She knew he wanted to act like nothing happen, like he didn't say that he was in love with her. That was exactly what she was going to do, act perfectly normal. " Hey," she said opening her locker as she usually did.   
  


This was his test of strength. " Hey Max." he closed the locker and gave her some eye contact to show that he couldn't care less about her presence. " See you around." He walked away and he could see at the corner of his eye the bewildered look on her face. He did it; he managed to fool her. Being satisfied with his accomplishment he went to the dispatch counter. Normal looked up at him and smile. " What?" he asked confused.   
  


" I just wanted to see how my golden boy was doing."   
  


" You're golden boy is fine." He had a feeling like Normal wanted him to do something for him.   
  


" You know Alec, there's a big fighting contest going on maybe you could enter." Alec was a sure bet, as long as Alec fought he knew that he could put his money on him.   
  


" I told you I'm done with fighting." The last thing he wanted was to be captured and placed in a cage again by White.   
  


" Your take is fifty grand."   
  


It was a very tempting offer. He'd get to kick people's butt with out breaking a sweat and make money at the same time. Also, it wouldn't even take his mind off things. " You know, it sounds kind of good. Where is it?"   
  


" It doesn't matter where it is, he's not going," Max said interrupting the conversation. Both Normal and Alec looked at her and raised an eyebrow. " He doesn't fight anymore," she said looking at Normal. With all the mutant fear buzzing around the most stupid thing he could do was fight. People would suspect something and to add insult to injury he had this conspicuous barcode on his neck. He'd be in a cell before the first bell rang.   
  


" I think it's up to Alec to decide if he wants fights or not."   
  


" He doesn't," Max insisted.   
  


" Well Alec, which is it?"   
  


If he decided to fight she'd think that he was doing it to spite her and he didn't want to feel guilty or anything, she was entitled to have her own feelings even though they weren't in favor of his affections. " She's right Normal. I think I should sit this one out." He took up a package form the counter and went on his way.   
  


" You've been causing me money since I hired you," Normal complained. " He was going to do that fight. I could have gotten some good cash. Who knows maybe I would have eased up your work."   
  


" If it wasn't for me Alec wouldn't even be working here. You don't even care about his safety do you?"   
  


" I don't think Alec would have a problem with anyone, he took down the raining champion in three seconds flat."   
  


" I don't care, just don't try to get him to fight again."   
  


He laughed, was she forgetting who was the boss and who was the employee? " What are you, his girlfriend?"   
  


She took up a package and looked at with venom emitting from her eyes. " Yes, I am his girlfriend." She walked out and went to her bike. She couldn't believe that Alec considered fighting. She couldn't believe she said that she was his girlfriend.   
  


This was really getting her and he didn't seem to be bothered by it.   
  


************************************************************************   
  


Max sat at her usual table with Logan at Crash. Not that she was bored or anything she just couldn't care less about what he was talking about. She nodded her head ever so often to let him think that she was listening. And ever so often she said. "Yeah."   
  


Logan realized he lost her attention about half an hour ago and she was trying to convince him that she was listening. " Then Barbie took me to her dream house." (I love this part! Heh, "then Barbie took me to her dream house, and we played pool games and had ice-cream for tea")   
  


" Yeah," she said automatically not knowing what he said only that he expected a reaction.   
  


" Max," he snapped his fingers to get her out of her trance. She looked up at him with her eyes wide open. " Are you okay?"   
  


" Yeah," she said looking around. She was looking for Alec in particular; she hoped he wasn't out fighting.   
  


" What are you looking for?"   
  


" Nobody," she said he eyes meeting Alec's. He was at the bar talking with a girl that looked like Asha, she quickly looked away.   
  


He didn't even ask her of she was looking for somebody and she gave him that answer. She was million miles away. " So. . . What are you doing tomorrow night."   
  


" I'm free," she said.   
  


Whoa, all of a sudden she seemed to be intrigued by the progress of their conversation.   
  


**************

Alec smiled at his company. He was bored stiff but he had to act like he was paying attention just to give the impression that he gave a damn about what she was talking about.   
  


" I think they should call this spot the reject spot."   
  


" Tell me bout it." Even though she was a drag to be around he could still relate to her. Max and Logan's relationship was affecting her the same way it was affecting him.   
  


" Remember the last time we were here?"   
  


" Yeah." It was when he first thought Max had gotten the cure. She was at Logan's and he was drinking and telling his partner in misery about the good news.   
  


" Remember the proposal you made?"   
  


" Yeah, that we sleep together just for the hell of it."   
  


" Still up for it."   
  


He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. He was glad nothing happened then. He would have just been using her. He thought Max and Logan would be doing the same thing. Now it was different, he got to know Max a lot more. They had a different relationship, she knew now that he had feelings for her. " No," he stated simply. " I'm not into games."   
  


" You're right. We would have made a big mistake then and it would be a big mistake now." A few hours later they learnt the virus had just come back. " So what are we going to do?"   
  


" Well I don't know bout you but I'm going home. See you around." He took his jacket and walked out the door.   
  


While unchaining his motorbike he saw Max was outside. He put on his shades.   
  


" I just wanted to say thanks for not going to the fight. I know you don't have to listen to what I say providing the situation."   
  


Did she forget that he said they were supposed to act like it never happened? " What situation?"   
  


She nodded. " Right, there is no situation."   
  


" Exactly." He waited for her to say something but she didn't. " I'll like to stay and chat but my bed calls." He drove off.   
  


She almost told him to call her but then she realized with the situation they weren't allowed to do that anymore. They weren't allowed to do anything together anymore. " This situation sucks."


	7. Chapter7

CHAPTER: Help me out   
  


DECLAIMER: the song is " I don't want to fight no more" by Tina Turner and it is edited for the purpose of the story.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


She walked out of the elevator and then into Logan's apartment. Just as she expected, candles and Logan's favorite CD playing in the background. He was so predictable. " Hey," she said trying to sound happy.   
  


"Hey, so how was work?"   
  


" Good." In reality her workday actually sucked since she hardly spoke to Alec. " How was your day?"   
  


" Productive." She smiled at him. " I made dinner."   
  


She already knew it was Pasta since it was all he seemed to be able to make. " Nice, I'm kind of hungry."   
  


******   
  


A few minutes later they sat eating pasta looking for conversation. " Nice sauce," Max commented.   
  


" It's the oregano, it brings out the life in anything with tomatoes."   
  


" Alec, for some reason doesn't like pasta."   
  


That's all she could talk about, Alec. " Really."   
  


" Yeah."   
  


He couldn't help but feel like she didn't want to be there with him. She looked far away. He decided to talk about something that in no way could involve Alec. " I like this song."   
  


Of course he'd like the song since it was his CD. " It's nice."   
  


" Tina Turner was a great singer back in the day." Max nodded like she couldn't care less.   
  


_There's a pale moon in the sky_

_The kind you make your wishes on_

_Like the light in your eyes_

_The one I built my dreams upon_

_It's not there any longer_

_Something happened somewhere_

_And we both know why_

_But me, I'm getting stronger_

_We must stop pretending_

_I can't live this life_   
  


The song was slowly starting to grow on her. " You know, it's kind of nice."   
  


" It's about her husband," he added.   
  


_I don't care who's wrong or right_

_I don't really wanna cry no more_

_Let's sleep on it tonight_

_I don't really wanna cry no more_

_(This is time for letting go)_   
  
  
  


" It's very real," she added. " It sounds like it could actually happen."   
  


_I hear a whisper in the air_

_It simply doesn't bother me_

_Can't you see that I don't care_

_Or are you looking right through me_

_Seems to me that lately_

_You look at me the wrong way and I start to cry_

_Could it be that maybe_

_This crazy situation is the reason why_   
  


She stopped and looked at him. It was like the song was about her. Was someone trying to tell her something?   
  


It took a song from a dead person for him to realise what was going on. They let it go on for too long.   
  


_Hanging on to the past_

_It only stands in our way_

_We had to grow for our love to last_

_But we just grew apart_   
  


" Logan," Max started. " I don't know how to say this but . . ."   
  


" It's okay, I understand." He took her hand in his. " What we had was special but our time is gone."   
  


" Sorry, it's just that."   
  


" It's okay, I could see the reasons in your eyes when you talk about him." She laughed. " Stop wasting time here, go get him."   
  


She kissed him on his cheek and ran out the door. Free at last.   
  


*****************************************************************   
  


He was just lying there watching a movie. He wasn't paying much attention to it since his mind was entangled in a spider web of memories. He heard a knock on the door and he went to it.   
  


Max stood nervously outside. She had this fear brewing inside her.   
  


When he opened the door he saw Max standing there. Why? He wasn't sure. He moved aside to let her in. She walked in past him and sat on the couch in a straight upright manner that indicated she was nervous. He sat next to her and waited for her say something, but she said nothing. He tried to focus his attention on the Tv screen.   
  


Max got up from next to him and sat on the coffee table blocking his view of the screen. She took his hand in hers and he looked up at her like he was totally confused. " Let's give this love thing a try."   
  


It was his dream playing out in front of his eyes. He needed to breathe before he dropped down dead. If someone had told him it would happen he would never think it possible but it was happening and he was very much awake. He hoped he was awake. He tried to open his eyes and he discovered they were already open. He needed to say something before she thought something was wrong. " Yeah, let's do that." And there it was, the overwhelming sense of completion he longed to feel. " I love you Max."   
  


" Perfect," she said. It was exactly how he described it and it was even better because it was real this time. " That other scenario really wasn't working for me."   
  


" Why is that?"   
  


" Because no where in it said that I was in love with you." He looked so happy. She bent over and kissed him.   
  


His lips touched hers and felt his entire body shiver. They separated only leaving only finger space between them. He looked into her eyes for a respond, for approval and she looked right back at him and smiled. " How did it happen?"   
  


" I had a little help from Tina Turner."   
  


He kissed her again just for the feeling again. " Thank the lord for her, whoever she is."   


THE END


End file.
